Flow device



J. D. NlXON Aug. V29, w39.

FLOW DEV I C E Filed Feb.` 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.'29, 1939. J. D. NlxoN 2,171,480

FLOW DEVICE ,y

Filed Feb. 24, 1939 s sheets-sheet 2 Aug. 29, 1939.

J. D. NIXON FLOW DEVICEv Filed Feb. 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3` Jn/umm Jeddy D. /V/XOD Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOW DEVICE Application February 24, 1939, Serial No. 258,119

6 Claims.

lo One object of the invention is to provide anv improved ow valve to be used with a fluid lift such as set out in my above mentioned applications and patent.

Another object of the invention is to provide l an improved flow valve adapted to be used with a fluid lift and either one valve or as many as are needed may be used therewith,` as Well as any valve or valves may be opened when and as desired to permit the introduction of pressure fluid at any predetermined point or points in the well to lift the well fluid from said well.

Still another object of the invention isv to provide a now valve so constructed that a series oi.'

said valves may be mounted in a well at predetermined elevations and each valve may be selectively operated from the surface.

A further object of the invention is to provvidela valve. that is easily operated, which operation is controlled from the surface, and which 80 valve may be used in any type of well at any desired depth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flow valve so arranged that a weight bar suspended on a wire line will open said valve upon 85 entering the same and when said bar is out of said valve, the flow of pressure fluid will close and hold said valve closed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a valve which does not obstruct the flow of fluid therethrough and which is so arranged as not to catch or hang in the casing when the tubing is being run in or out of the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flow valve in which the valve member is a ball, so that no undue amount of friction lwill be had between said valve member and the actuating member.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a valve so constructed that the actuating' no member upon entering the valve will ride on said balls and not contact said valve, so that the pressure fluid flowing through the opened ports will continue to center said actuating member in said valve and prevent contact of said actuating member with said valve, whereby a cushioning (Cl. 10S-232) or iioating action of said actuating member in said valve is had.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein: Y VFigure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a series of valves mounted in a well constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the various parts vin a juxtapositional relation;

Figure 3 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the valve and-showing an actuating member therein holding said valve in an open position;

Figure 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of one of the valves shown in Figure l;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 with the actuating member removed and the valve in a closed position;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a valve without the actuating member. andv in a closed position;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of a modied form of the invention;

Figure 9 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the modified form of the valve.

In the drawings the numeral l5 designates the ,A usual well casing of a well which may have a well screen I6 at its lower end. A suitable casing head I1 is mounted on top of the casing and closed, so that gas may be trapped or introduced into said casing. A string of tubing I8 is mounted in said casing and suitably packed off in said head, so as to make a gas tight joint therewith.

In the tubing string (Figure 1), one or more elongate flow valves I9 are mounted. The number and spacing of the valves used depends on the conditions and circumstances surrounding each individual well, as well as the use or requirement of any other ilo-W equipment. It is preferred to connect a perforated bull plug 20 on the lower end of said tubing.

The flow valve comprises a cylindrical body 2| having a co-axial. upstanding, externally screwy Cil said tubing and enter the valves I9.

threaded pin or stud 22 on its upper end and a similar pin 23 depending from its lower end. A cylindrical collar 24 is provided with an internally screw-threaded box 25 on its upperend for engaging the threaded pin 23 and a similar box 26 on its lower end for engaging the usual threaded pin I|8 on the tubing joint I8 extending into the well (Figures 1, 2, 3, and 7), whereby the valve body 2| is connected onto the upper end of a tubing joint. A cylindrical collar 21 similar to the collar 24 and provided with threaded boxes 28 and 29 similar to the boxes 25 and 26 for engaging the pin 22 on the upper 'end of the body and the pin I I9 on the lower end of the next joint of tubing ||8' above said valve.` Thus, it will be seen that the iiow valve may be mounted in said tubing string in the place of the usual connecting collars, or if desired, any of the tubing joints may be cut and threaded for receiving the boxes 26 and 29 of the collars 24 and 21 of a flow valve.' A suitable sealing ring 3|) is placed on each pin ,22 and 23 of the valve body for receiving the abutting edge of the collars 24 and 21. The rings are preferably of a soft metal, such as brass, but any material suitable for the purpose may be used.

'I'he valve body 2| is provided with an internal, cylindrical chamber 3| with a number of inward directed, guide ribs 32 extending thereinto and having their upper and lower ends beveled. A plurality of radial, internally screw-threaded ports 33 extend outwardly through the walls of saidA valve body" and provide communication between the annular space with the casing I5 and the tubing I8 when the ports are open, so that pressure fluid may enter the tubing from said annular space of said casing, whereby any well fluid in the tubing above said' ports will be lifted and carried out of said tubing. It is preferred to locate one of the ports in each rib and all in the same horizontal plane. Each port is provided with a valve cage or insert unit 34 threaded thereinto and a co-axial passageway 35 extends through each valve cage, at the inner end of each passageway, a ground, tapered seat 36 is formed. A ball valve 31 is mounted in the passageway of each valve cage 34 for engaging the seat 36 and closing said passageway, whereby each of said ports is closed. The outer end of each passageway is internally screw-threaded, so as to receive a perforated button or cap 38.

Whenever pressure fluid is introduced into the annular space of said casing and encounters the balls 31 in the open ports, the passage of said fluid through said open ports will carry said balls onto their respective seats 36, and thereby close said open ports as well as shutting olf said tubing from said annular space. It will be noticed in Figures 6 and 7, that when said balls are seated and closed, a portion thereof protrudes into the chamber 3| from the seats 36 and the faces of the ribs 32.

An elongated, cylindrical weight bar 39 is movable vertically within the tubing for tripping or opening the iiow valves I9 by unseating the balls 31. The weight bar is fastened on the lower end of a wire line or cable 40 andhas its lower end pointed, so that it will more readily descend in The upper end of said Weight bar is reduced, in order that said weight bar may travel upward more easily in said tubing and enter said valves. It will be seen in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7, that when said weight bar 39 is lowered or raised into one of said valves I9, by means of the wireline 40, the concaved faces of the guide ribs 32 will center said weight in the chamber 3 I. This weight bar is of such diameter as to engage the balls 31 and force them from their seats 36 in the cages 34. In this position, communication is again established between said tubing and said annular space in said casing, so that the well uid and particularly pressure fluid may flow from the said annular space into said tubing until the valve I9 is again closed. When saidweight bar is lowered or lifted out of said valve, the ball valves 31 will be released by said weight .bar and the flow of the pressure fluid through the passageways of said cages will carry and seat said balls and hold them closed, whereby communication and any elevation of fluid in said tubing from this point or valve is terminated.

'I'he wire line 48 extends up the tubing |8 through the casing head I1 and a suitable stulng box (not shown) to a suitable hoisting or control device (not shown). It will be seen in the drawings that the outer ends of the ports 33 are countersunk to form a circular, shallow recess or sump 4| for the valve cages 34 to seat into. These recesses are of a sulicient depth to accommodate said valve cages, so that said cages, including the buttons 38, will not protrude from the annular l surface of said valves; whereby when the tubing string I8 with the valves |9 mounted therein is being run into or out of a well, said buttons 38 or valve cages 34 will not contact the wall of said casing I5 and wear their outer surfaces nor fill and become clogged with foreign matter.

It is particularly pointed out that with the three valved ports spaced as shown in the drawings, the pressure of said pressure fluid entering the opened ports will be balanced or equalized on said weight bar, so that said bar substantially floats in the flow valve being held open. Therefore three will be no excessive or unbalanced pressure against said bar to interfere With its operation nor to cause undue wear on said ribs 32 of said flow valve and said Ibar. It is to be understood that while the invention has been shown with three ports and three valve cages it is made and used with one, two and four ports and cages. It is not intended to limit the invention to any number of ports and cages nor any particular arrangement of said ports as to position.

' In Figures 8, 9 and 10 a modified form of the invention is shown, This form shows a valve made in one piece, preferably cast, and having only one port. The elongated body 44 of the valve is provided with an internally screw-threaded box 45 on each end for receiving the usual threaded pins 46 of the tubing I8. Said body is formed with a pair of external bosses or ribs 41 Afor protecting the valve cage vinsert 34', similar to the valve cage 34. As will be seen in the drawings, the operation of this valve is similar to that already described.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flow valve for a well including, an elongate body adapted to be connected in the well tubing and formed with a bore extending therethrough, an inlet port in said body providing communication between the outside and the bore of said body for admitting fluid into said body, a Valve cage in said port having a passageway therethrough, a ball valve in said cage for opening and closing the passageway of said cage, said ball valve normally being in an opened position and arranged to be closed by the passage of fluid through said passageway of said cage and to be opened from the surface of the well, surface controlled operating means movable into said body for opening said ball valve.\to permit the passage of fluid through said passageway, and a guide within the bore of said body for guiding said means into said body. l

2. A flow valve for a well including, an elongate body adapted to be connected in the well tubing and formed with a bore extending therethrough, a plurality of inlet ports in said body providing communication between the outside and the bore of said body for admitting fluid into said body, a valve cage in each of said ports and having a passageway extending through each cage, a ball valve in each cage for opening and closing the passageway therethrouglnsaid ball valve normally being in an opened vposition and arranged adapted to be closed by the passage of fluid through each passageway and to be opened from the surface of the well, surface controlled operating means movable into said body for opening'said ball valves to permit the passage of fluid through said passageways of said cages, and a guide within the bore of said body for guiding said operating means into said body.

3. A flow valve for a well including, an elongate body adapted to be connected in the well tubing and having a passageway extending therethrough to provide a continuous communication for said well tubinga plurality of inlet ports in said body for connecting said passageway with the outside of said body and said tubing for ladmitting fluid into said body, a closure member in each port for opening and closing the same, said member normally being in an opened position and arranged to be closed by the passage of uid through said ports and to be opened from the surface of the well, and surface controlled actuating member for passing through the passageway of said body to open said closure members to permit the flow of fluid'through said 1-ports into said passageway, lsaid ports being so 4arranged that the uid flowing therethrough will be equalized on said actuating member, whereby said member will float in said body whenever said ports are opened.

4. A now valve for a well including, an elongate body adapted to be connected in the well tubing and having a passageway extending therethrough to provide a continuous communication for said well tubing, a plurality of inlet ports in said body for connecting said passageway with the outside of said body and said tubing for admitting uid into said body, a closure member in each port for opening and closing the same,

said member normally being in an opened position and arranged to be closed by' the passage of uid through said ports and to be opened from the surface of the well, surface controlled actuating member for passing through the passageway of said body to open said closure members to permit the flow of fluid through said ports into said passageway, said ports being so arranged that the fluid flowing therethrough will be equalized on said actuating member, whereby said member will float in said body whenever said ports are opened, and a guide within the passageway of said body for guiding said actuating member into said body and intovcontact with said closure members to open the same.

5. A ow valve for a well including, an elongate body adapted to be connected in the well tubing and formed with a bore extending therethrough, an inlet port in said body providing communication between the-outside and the bore of said body for admitting iluid into said body, a Valve cage in said port having a passageway extending therethrough, a portion of said cage being externally screw-threaded, an `external flange on one end of said cage for limiting the depth which said cage is inserted in said port and providing means for inserting and withdrawing said cage, a seat at one end of said passageway, a ball valve coacting with said seat for opening and closing said passageway, surface controlled operating means movable into said body for opening said ball valve to permit the passage of fluid through said passageway, and a guide within the bore of said body `Vfor guiding said operating means into said body. d

6. A flow valve fora well including, an elongate body arranged to be connected in well tubing and formed with a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a plurality of inlet ports in said body providing communication between the outside of said bore of said body for admitting uid into said body, a valve cage mounted in each of said ports and each cage having a passageway extending therethrough, an external flange on one end of each cage, a seat at one end of the passageway in each cage, a ball valve in said passageway of each cage for coac ing with said seat to open and close each passageway, said ball valves normally being in an open position and each being arranged to be closed by the passage of fluid through each passageway and to be opened from the surface of the well, a perforated cap mounted in each passageway adjacent said flange for limiting the movement of each ball valve from its seat and for restricting the flow of fluid through each passageway in each cage, surface controlled operating means movable into said body for opening said ball valves to permit the passage of iiuid through said passageways of said cages, and a. guide within the bore of said body for guiding said operating means into said body.

J EDDY D. NIXON. 

